An Endorsement for Mason City Council - Kim Singh
I have a selfish interest in who wins seats on city council in November. The top 4 vote-getters will serve with me for the next 2 years for sure, and the next 4 if I am re-elected in 2027. These first 2 years I’ve been on council have been productive ones. While we all disagree on various things (especially national politics), we want what’s best for our community here, have found common ground, and have been able to work together.
If even one person who joins the council in December is out for themselves, brings an agenda with them, or doesn’t play well with others, the climate on council will deteriorate. We will struggle to get the work of the city done. We’ve been there done that as a city (remember the disastrous 2020-2021 years???).
That’s why I’ve decided to endorse candidates this election cycle.
City Council Candidate Introduction
It’s my pleasure to introduce you to Dr. Kim Singh.
I met Kim nearly a year ago, and my first impressions of her were that she’s very smart (she has a doctorate after all!) and also very approachable. She is easy to talk to, listens well, and has a way of sharing her perspective in a way that draws you out rather than shutting you down.
Kim works with folks who have developmental disabilities and their families, so she has a strong grasp of the challenges faced by many in our community. As a person in the helping profession, she sees how hard it can be for people who don’t fit into regular life, and she takes an active role in advocating for them.
When I asked her who she believes she works for if she’s elected, here’s what she said.
“The people of Mason. Elected officials work for the constituency, full stop. Our government (at any level) is intended to be ‘of the people, for the people, and by the people.’ And that means ALL the people – not just the ones that voted for them.”
Kim would bring a few missing and important perspectives to our city council - she is young (she’d be the first Millenial to serve), she works in a profession not represented currently, and her parents immigrated here from India before she was born.
More than a quarter of our residents have also moved to Mason from other parts of the world, and their experience of life here is different from those of us who grew up in the area. We will continue to improve as a city when we take their experiences into account.
“‘When you are surrounded by sameness, you achieve only variations of the same.’ Without having different voices at the table, we limit ourselves in terms of intellectual capital, creativity, and innovation. We also risk the dangers of echo chambers; growth and change require challenge, and I don’t mean in a negative way, but in a way that pushes people to think beyond what they’re used to.”
When we talked about making difficult decisions, working with people who have different views, and our responsibilities as council members who represent the public, I really appreciated the thoughtfulness she shared.
She would like council members to share more publicly about why we vote the way we do. She has seen respectful disagreements play an important role in learning, growing, gaining perspective, and finding common ground.
I asked her about the criticism we receive as council members, sharing my experience with the paradox that you can’t please everyone, yet everyone wants to be pleased. I really appreciate her response to this.
“I promise to always do my best to listen, learn, and improve. Nobody likes to be criticized, but criticism and scrutiny is a part of the job when in a public-facing position. And, when given constructively, it can have merit and holds leaders accountable.”
We talked about all the learning I’ve done as a council member, and the times when I have changed my vote based on new information. She explained that as a part of her graduate level work, she talked about how research requires you to evaluate ALL relevant (scholarly) information surrounding your topic, whether it agrees or contradicts your thesis. It’s important to be willing to change your conclusions when faced with more robust information than we had before. I believe this willingness to test our theories and concede when confronted with new information is a healthy approach we need to practice more.
I am proud to endorse Kim Singh for council.
I believe we need her approach to learning, making decisions, and working with others, along with her experiences with people who have different levels of ability and who have relocated here. She will be an incredible public servant for residents of the city of Mason, Ohio.
As always, this represents my views alone - they do not represent any other council member, city staff member, or the council as a whole.
I encourage you to find information about this year’s candidates, contact them with your questions, and come to your own conclusions. Wondering what to ask them? I have suggestions (of course).
